Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23


think of the dreadful series of his msdeeds,
and the essential innocence that lay behind
them.
"Well, ," said the father, with an obvious
effort, but in very quiet tones, "what is it"
"Macean gave me EI0O to put in the bank,
sir, began John; "and I'm sorry to say that
I've beer robbed of It'll"
"Robbed of it'' cried Mr.. Nicholson with
strong rising infection. "Robbedi BE
careful what you say, Johnw
81 can't say anything else sir l was just
70 bed Of it," said John, in desperation, sui
lou'y.
And where and when did this extraordi
nay event take place. inquired the father
ION the Cation hill about IL last night
"Thc Cation hili" repeated Mr. Nichol-
son. "And what were you doing there at
such time of the night"
Nothing, sir says John.
Mr.. Nicholson drew in his breath.
And how came the money in your hands
at - last night" he asked, sharply.
81 neglected that piece of business said
John, anticipating comment; and then in
his own dialect: 81 clean forgot all about it,"
"Well,n said his father, tits a most cx-
traordinary story. Have you communicated
with the police"
81 have" answered poor John, the blood
leaping to his face. "Thcy think they know
the men that did it. | dare say the money
will be recovered, if that was ALL said he,
with desperate Indifference, which his
father set down to levity: but which sprung
from the consciousness of worse behind.
'Nour mothers watch, tooF' asked Mr..
Nicholson
ooh. the watch is all right" cried John.
90 At least | moan | vV,= pctniOcr a tbn watch
the fact is am ashamed to say, II had
pawned the watch before Here is tho ticket ;
| they didn't find that; the watch can be re-
deemed; they don't sell plcdgesn The lad
painted out these phrases, one after another,
like minute guns, but at the last word, which
rang in that stately chamber like an oath,
his heart failed him utterly: and the dreaded
| silence settled on father and son.
1t was broken by Mr.. Nicholson picking up
the pawntickct: "John Froggs, 81 Pleasancc,n
he read; and then turning upon John with a
brief flash of passion and disgust, ''Who is
John FroggsF he cried.
Nobody" said John. at was just a name ."
"An alias his father commented
"Oh! think scarcely quite that said the
7ulprit, tits form, they all do it, the man
seemed to understand, we had u great deal of
fun over the name
He paused at that for he saw his father
vince at the picture like man physically
struck. and again there was silence.
II do not think said Nj Nicholson, at
last, that | am an ungenerous father. |
have never grudged you money within reason,
for any allowable purpose; you had just to
come to me and speak And now find that
you have forgotten all decency and all
natural feeling, and actually pawned -
| pawned-yOur mothers watch You must
have had some temptation; l will do you the
justice to suppose it was strong one What
did you want with this money!
II would rather not tell you, sir said
John. 1T will only make you angry"
II will not be fenced with" cried his father
There must be an end of disingenuous an.
swers. What did you want with this money!
TO lend it to Houston, sir says John.
81 thought had forbidden you to speak
to that young man" asked the father
eyes, sir" said John but | only met
him."
"Where!" came the deadly question.
And In a billiard room" was the damning
answer. Thus had Johns single departure
from tn, truth brought instant punishment
For no other purpose but to Alan would
b. have entered billiard room; but he had
desired TO paliate the fact of his disobed
ence, and now it appeared that he frequentee
these diSreputabe haunts upon his own &C
count.
Once more Mr. Nicholson digested the vile
tidings in silence; and when John stole
glance at his fathers countenance, he wa.
abashed to see the marks of suffering.
"Wcll, said the old gentleman at last, :"
cannot pretend not to be simply bowe,
down. | rose this morning what the worlC
calls "a happy man-happy, at least, in a sor
Of whom | thought | could he reasonably
proud
But it was beyond human nature to endure
thi, longer and John interrupted almos
with a scream. "Oh, wheestn he cried
that's not all, that's not the worst of tit
nothing How could | tell you We're prouC
Of me. OH | WISH | wish that had known
but you alway' said | was such a disgrac
And the dread thing IS this: We We're n
taken up las light, and we have to T..
Colette's fine ailong the six, or we'll be ha,
up for evidence-shebeening it is. The,
made me swear to tell YOU but for my part,
he cried, bursting into tears, II just wisl
that | was dead" And he fell on his knee
before a chair and hid his face.
Whether his father spoke, and whether h
remained lone in the room or at once depart
| a
MOL of mind and body; bursting sobs
broken, vanishing thoughts, now of indigna
ton, now OF remorse; broken elementar,
} whiffs of consciousness, of the smell of tn
horse HAIR on the chair bottom, of the jang
ling of church bells that now began to max
5 the day horrible throughout the confines o
: the city, of the hard floor that bruised hi
? knees, of the taste of tears that found thei
5 way into his mouth. For period of time
5 the duration of which cannot guess, Will
refuse to dwell longer on its agony, thes
we're the whole of Gods world for Johl
l Nicholson.
When Mt last, as by the touching of
spring, he returned again to clearness o
. consciousness, and even n measure of compo,
ure the bells had but just done ringing, an
the Sabbath silence was still marred by tn
; patter of brlated feet. By the clock abov
, the fire, as well us 10y these more speakn
= signs, the service had not long begun, an
J the unhappy sinner, if his father had reall
Z gone to church, might count on near tw
| | Of nulV tntlluratiNra uphanniupS,